Monuments of Kerala

Monuments of Kerala

Abundant in historical landmarks and monuments, Kerala can easily grab the attention of both local and foreign tourists. Foreign invasion and colonialism had left a lot of interesting structures across this small Indian state that is already a paradise popular for its lush forests, wildlife and of course the backwaters. Now, here are famous historical monuments that should be included in your Kerala holiday packages.

Top Monuments in Kerala

The following monuments hold great significance to the culture and history of the state:

• Mattancherry Palace - Popularly known as the Dutch Palace, this place features beautiful Kerala murals that depict Hindu temple exhibits, portraits and art of the Rajas of Kochi. This quadrangular palace was constructed in traditional Kerala and Nalukettu styles, with a courtyard in the middle. In 1951, it was restored and then declared a nationally protected monument.
• St. Angelo Fort - Locally known as Kannur Kotta or Kannur Fort, this fort is located 3 kilometers from Kannur City in South India, particularly in the Cannanore Cantonment area facing the Arabian Sea. It was built by Dom Francisco de Almeida in 1505, and now, it is fairly well-preserved monument protected under the Archaeological Survey of India, even regarded as the most important historical monument in the state, making it a very popular tourist attraction.
• St. Thomas Fort, Tangasseri - Once known as Forte de São Tomé, this is a ruined fort that is located in the beach town of Tangasseri in Kollam and was built by the Portuguese under the command of Afonso de Albuquerque to protect the trade here. Today, its remains have been taken over by the government of India, considering it as an important historical landmark.
• Vizhinjam Cave Temple - Basically, this a granite cave that contains the 18th-century rock cut sculptures of the cave temple in Vizhinjam, which was earlier the capital of the Ay chieftains who ruled the southern regions of the state in the 8th century. It encloses a single-celled shrine that has a loose sculpture of Vinandhara Dakshinamurthi, and its outer wall depicts half-completed reliefs of Goddesses Shiva and Parvathi. This cave temple is located about 17 kilometers from the city centre.
• Ariyannur Umbrellas - This is a prehistoric Megalith burial site that is situated in Ariyannur in the district of Thrissur. It has 6 mushroom stones, or umbrella stones, that are locally called “Kudaikkallu”, with four of them intact and two are partly broken. In 1951, the site was declared by the Archaeological Survey of India as a centrally protected monument. 
• Kudakkallu Parambu - This is also a pre-historic Megalith burial site located in Thrissur, with 69 megalith monuments that are spread all over a small area. The different types of burials in this site include Kudakkal, Topikkal, stone circles and multiple hood stones. The Archaeological Survey of India claimed that these monuments are constructed around 2000 BC, hence declaring it as a nationally protected monument.

Visiting the Top Monuments in Kerala

Visiting the top monuments in this beautiful state of India should be part of your travel itinerary, and to make it happen, book Kerala tour packages with us here at La Vacanza Travel.